TANNIN COAT

A bio-degradable paper raincoat.

In this project I have researched ways to waterproof paper in an eco-friendlyand sustainable way. Made only from natural components, the raincoat isnon-polluting and biodegradable. With the potential to be composted, it canhave an impact on the huge quantity of synthetic waste caused by throw-away plastic products.

Paper has its place in our everyday life, but still: somehow qualities that lay beyond packaging applications, remain mostly ignored. My intervention aims at challenging the users manifested view on paper as an everyday material and adds meaning to the way we see and use paper resources in a more valuable way and not solely as throw-away products. The purpose of my project is to introduce paper as an eco-friendly alternative for waterproofened applications, while highlighting the understated aesthetic and functional qualities of paper.Waterproofing paper with tannin has a very long tradition in japanese culture. Since the 8th century, people began to treat paper with the fermented juice of the unripened persimmon fruit. In ancient Japan, when plastic was just not a thing, people even made clothing from kakishibu paper. In the style of kakishibu, I decided todesign my own interpretation of a paper raincoat that shows the very specific aesthetical and functional qualities of tannin-impregnated paper and changes its valueability by employing it in long-term use.

This project was part of the studio design a sustainable value chain, supervised by Tjeerd Veenhoven.It was shown at Dutch Design Week 2017 and awarded by Bauhaus Essentials 2017.